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Monterey WWII serviceman to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery

The remains Lt. Valorie L. Pollard, of Monterey, and Sgt. Dominick J. Licari will be buried in a single casket at Arlington National Cemetery.

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Updated: 12:00 AM PDT Sep 13, 2013

Monterey WWII serviceman to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery

The remains Lt. Valorie L. Pollard, of Monterey, and Sgt. Dominick J. Licari will be buried in a single casket at Arlington National Cemetery.

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Updated: 12:00 AM PDT Sep 13, 2013

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WEBVTT I'M ERIN CLARK WEBEGIN TONIGHT WITH ASTORY NEARLY SEVENTYYEARS IN THE MAKING.WE FIRST TOLD YOULAST NIGHT ABOUT THEDISCOVERY OF ACENTRAL COAST WORLDWAR TWO VETERANMISSING SINCE HIS PLANEWENT DOWN ON AMISSION IN 1944.HIS NAME: ARMY AIRCORP SECONDLIEUTENANT VALORIEPOLLARD OF MONTEREY.THIS SUMMER HISREMAINS WERE FOUND,NOW THEY'RE BEINGRETURNED TO THE U-S...AND TONIGHT WE SPEAKWITH THE DAUGHTER HENEVER MET ABOUT WHATIT MEANS TO HAVE HERFATHER BROUGHT HOME.HERE'S ACTION NEWSREPORTER AMANDALEWIS WITH TONIGHT'STOP STORY.Sandy Pollard's lifewas turned upside downa few weeks ago whenthe phone rang.11:05 I wasn't preparedfor it.Nothing can prepare youfor it.The Department ofDefense told her they'dfound her father'sremains.24-year old 2nd Lt.Valorie Pollard went towar in 1943..And went missing inaction in March of 1944.Sandy was born about3 months later.The two never met.13:10 I can't describe thefeelings.. Kind of likewhen you fall and knockthe wind out of yourself.Pollard was a pilot ina plane like this one.He had justcompleted a bombingmission over New Guniea- where the Japanesehad taken hold.He was flying throughthe mountains when theweather turned on him.5:02 It happened so fasthe probably didn't evenknow he hit themountain.His wreckage hasbeen in the jungle allthese years..The terrain there isdifficult to travel in.5:23 The archeologistshad to go in by ziplinedropped in myhelicopter.They were able torecover pieces of flightsuit, a pair of glasses, aknife sheath and athermos - which Sandynow has.It's a small piece ofher dad. Her motherdidn't talk much abouthim. But she knew hecarried her mother'spicture with him duringthe war.Her mother died in2003.12:00 My mothers friendhave told me she alwaysthought he would comeback. And my sister sayshe was probably the loveof her life.In Stuart, Iowa,Amanda Lewis. KSBWAction News 8.#####NONE OF VALORIPOLLARD'S FAMILY STILLLIVES HERE ON THECENTRAL COAST, BUT HISREMAINS WEREIDENTIFIED BY MATCHINGD-N-A WITH COUSINSNOW LIVING IN THESACRAMENTO AREA.AFTER HIS DEATH, HISWIFE RETURNED TO HERHOMETOWN NEAR DESMOINES IOWA.POLLARD'S REMAINSWILL BE BURIED ATARLINGTON NATIONALCEMETERY ON THURSDAYOF NEXT WEEK.HE ALSO HAS ATOMBSTONE WITH HISNAME AT THE MANILAAMERICAN CEMETERYAND MEMORIAL IN THEPHILLIPINES.#####

Monterey WWII serviceman to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery

The remains Lt. Valorie L. Pollard, of Monterey, and Sgt. Dominick J. Licari will be buried in a single casket at Arlington National Cemetery.